Raine Cemetery, Webster Par., Louisiana
Submitter: Clifton D. Cardin, Official Bossier Parish Historian
< cliftondcardin@juno.com >
Cemetery surveyed about 1992.
Date: Feb. 2001
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======*The following information is excerpted from:
LOUISIANA ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT CEMETERIES & GRAVES
AN INDEPTH STUDY OF THE CEMETERIES AND GRAVES LOCATED ON THE
LOUISIANA
ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT NEAR MINDEN, LOUISIANA.
WRITTEN BY CLIFTON D. CARDIN BOSSIER PARISH HISTORIAN
PRODUCED AT NO COST TO LOUISIANA ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT,
MORTON THIOKOL, OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PURPOSE, A thorough investigation of the cemeteries and burials on what
is currently known as the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant offers a very
unique look into undisturbed pre-World War II burial grounds.
When the LAAP was created in the 1940's, plantations in both Bossier &
Webster Parish were purchased and consolidated therefore creating an
"island" of land that would supply the Federal Government with the
seclusion necessary to build explosive munitions, both far away from
civilization and from the prying eyes of our global enemies. This island
would provide the government with the ability to guard it's manufacturing
capability, size and extent of the munitions being made.
The resultant absorbing of these nine cemeteries would protect them
from the normal wear and tear that is associated with cemeteries that are
frequented by more burials and general public traffic. Very few burials
were allowed in these cemeteries after the 1940's.
Evidently when the Government took control of these lands, they also
assumed the role of providing perpetual care to these cemeteries. This
role has been fulfilled very well, the LAAP fencing and maintaining these
areas with utmost respect to their inhabitants. Another ironic twist has
been the fact that when the government took control of these cemeteries,
many of them had only wooden markers standing quiet vigil on top of their
respective graves. These wooden markers would not reveal the names of
their charges. The federal government apparently replaced these wooden
markers with generic concrete markers, which do not reveal the names of
their inhabitants either. Five of these nine cemeteries contains burials,
with generic headstones, and although the names of the cemeteries are
known, the names of the residents are not.
Another prime reason to inventory and document these graves is to
supply to the "outside" world a bona-fide list of those who are known to
be buried within the confines of the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant,
without it becoming necessary for them to gain permission and travel into
LAAP.
TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS USED; (information) = information in brackets was
either supplied by the author, another source or someone kin to the
person. It is assumed correct, although the author assumes no liability
b/ = brother of
bo/ = born in
bu/ = buried with
c/ = child of, sex not indicated
d/ = daughter of
di/ = died in
f/ = father of
h/ = husband of
inf/ = infant of
k/ = kin to
LAAP = Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant
m/ = mother of
?name = believed buried here but no headstone, information supplied
by a family member of when original work was done.
no/ = north of, means buried north of that person
s/ = son of
S,T,R = section, township, range, legal location of cemetery
S__,T__N,R__W, = Section, Township ? North, Range ? West
temp/marker = tempory metal marker, could be missing or impossible
to read later.
2 stones = there are two headstones for this person
w/ = wife of
RAINE CEMETERY, Is located on the eastern line of the NE 1/4 of the SW
1/4 of Section 17, T18N, R10W. It is surrounded by a cyclone fence
measuring 30 ft by 75 ft. There are approximately fourteen (14)
headstones of the generic type. There are only four readable headstones.
HEADSTONE * *BIRTH ** DEATH ** NOTES
Ruby Maude JACKSON **Jan 26, 1891 **Nov 17, 1894
Little Tom JACKSON **Nov 29, 1892 **Oct 23, 1893
**son of L. E. Jackson
Mary J. JACKSON **May 19, 1830 **May 24, 1893
**born in Alabama
**wife of J. E. Jackson
Maud KAMPEN **Feb 5, 1872 **Oct 8, 1893
**wife of H. R. Kampen
A thorough search of all local newspapers including the Shreveport
Times, Minden newspapers, Bossier Banner, and the Bossier Press-Tribune
have not revealed any information about these burials. The 1880 Census
for Bossier Parish doesn't reveal anyone with the names recorded. There
is of course no 1890 census for Bossier Parish.
There is a possibility that these children were kin to the Jackson
Brothers who ran a store nearby. The store operated from about the 1900's
until the 1930's. In fact one of the brothers was J. Jackson.